St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-25

denial and indefinite postponement of
the Irish claim to local Self-gOvernment
must be brought to the attention of par
lament at the earliest opportunity.
The
MOVEMENTS DE RUSSIAN TROOPS
on the Russian frontier in spite of all
pacific assurances from st. Petersburg,
still continue to cause good deal of
uneasinesS ON the continent. Several
correspondents who profess to have &C
curate information, declare that the
concentration is too small for war and
too large for peace. But Russian mill
tary movements are always mysterious.
There is no army list in Russia, and no
certain means of ascertaining either the
strength of the corps or the expenses in
CURED by the government for military
matters. A bureaucracy is at an adj
vantage when it wishes to conceal its
military schemes from foreign
powers, and in the case of
Russia it is never possible
for others to know when the move
ments of troops are inspired by pacific
motives or when they are beginnings of
a concentration intended ultimately for
war. AS is well known, Russia is COM
PEELED owing to her extent, to COM
mence her military preparations and
concentration of troops on the frontier
some time before the actual declaration
of war. Before the last Russo-Turkish
war the order for modifying six army
corps was given in November 1876, and
the winter was occupied with mObiliza-
tions, so that the war might be declared
in the following spring. What Aus
trian and German statesmen are now
asking themselves is whether the pres
ent movement may not also pOrtend a
declaration of war in the coming
spring. The concentration which is
taking place threatens Austria'S weak
est point. Competent military authOri-
ties have declared their opinion that in
event of war between Austria and Rus
STA
AUSTRIA HAS NO MEANS
at her disposal to prevent Galicia from
being Immediately Overrun by Russian
troops. 1t is computed that Russia can
bring three times as strong force to
bear upon Eastern Galicia as Austria
Hungary can muster to oppose it. The
Austrian troops have no railway con-
nectiOn with 9 theOwest and south,
whereas the Russians have several
lines capable of reinforcing their troops
from South Russia. 1t is hardly sur
prising that the Vienna papers are
clamOring for counter precautions on
the Austrian side of the frontier, but
these demands come rather too late as
the season is too far advanced to per-
nit the building of railroad lines in
time for spring campaign even ii the
rigorous weather did not interfere with
such work. The precautions at present
being taken by Austria indicate that
her military chiefs are hopeless of hold
ing their frontier posts and will rely on
concentrating their whole available
force at point where the lines of COM
munication with the Austrian capital
may be kept open without the employ
ment of large force and there await an
attack from the Russians. European
alarms have been raised so often during
the past year that they have ceased to
be seriously regarded, but the
SUDDEN MILITARY ACTIVITY
of Russia, following upon the known
estrangement between Russia and the
central powers can hardly be passed
over. Lord Salisbury in his speech this
week was careful to say that there was
no s'immediate danger of war;" but that
statement could have been made with
equal truth by any one acquainted with
Galicia, as no sane general would select
the winter for beginning military opera
tions in country where in past years
the inclemency of the weather has
proved more fatal to troops than the
cannons and bayonets of the enemy.
The fears of the English people have
not been quieted by the premier'S state
ment, and they would like to know a
little more clearly how far Lord Sails
bury has committed them to the alli-
ance of the central powers.